Information Resources for Drought-Stressed Field Crops

evere
drought stress does not typically afflict Indiana agriculture every year.
The amount and pattern of normal annual precipitation throughout the state
usually satisfy the moisture needs of its major agronomic crops of corn, soybean,
wheat, and hay. From time to time, however, severe droughts or extended periods
of insufficient rainfall occur and cause major yield losses. The 2012 cropping season is currently positioning itself to join the ranks of the "great" droughts.

Most recently, severe droughts occurred in 1983, 1988 and 1991. Yield losses
in corn as a result of drought stress during those years were 34, 31 and 27
percent relative to their respective trend yields. The fact that drought timing and crop tolerance
influence the severity of damage among different crops is reflected in the
fact that soybean losses in those same drought years were 14, 28 and 2 percent
relative to their respective trend yields.

This Web site was created to serve as a repository of information on crop
management issues related to drought stress. The purposes of the site are
to 1) preserve the memories and experiences gained from droughts of years
past and 2) add new information especially pertinent to current or future
droughts. The sources of the information found within this site reside not
only at Purdue University, but also include a number of other major land grant
universities throughout the U.S.

Use the sidebar menu on the left side of this page to view drought-related references for field crops or forages. Other Web sites around the country with drought emphases can be viewed at the Other drought resource sites" link. Field crops Extension specialists at Purdue and elsewhere around the country are listed at the "Purdue specialists..." link.